Filter advice please

[ali]

Hi guys. I have a five gallon that is well designed as a home for one fire belly, and a ten gallon that houses two t. grans.

I'm in the market for new filters for each and would like some advice. I've been looking at the Fluval filter: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/Fluval/Class//T1/F26CA+0171+0834/EDP/31201/Itemdy00.aspx

and the penn plax cascade filter: http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441809662&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030565&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1151126421561&itemNo=7&Ntt=penn+plax&In=All&previousText=penn+plax&N=2+4294966380&Ne=6

I know people say that Fluval is a good brand. Is this filter good in particular? Pros and cons? I plan to go out tomorrow afternoon for new ones. What do you guys think? Are there any others that are better thank these two?

 

[ali]

Well, after reading glowing reviews about the Eheim Aquaball, I think I'm going to settle with it.


The one problem I have with it is that I have to order it. I don't have a problem ordering it, per say. But it REALLY bothers me that NO ONE (out of like 12 pet stores) carry it. Anyone know why?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[juston]

I know that the filter you get should not make any current because it will stress the fire belly but i dont know about the t. grans.

This page might help http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/filters.shtml

 

[karen]

Be careful with fluvals. They're a good filter, but produced too much current for my newts, so I had to replace it. The fluval I had was the smallest one- fluval 1). I currently use a Duetto-50, which I like because it has an adjustable output, so you can increase or decrease the current depending on the newt's likes.

 

[jennifer]

For the 10 gallon, I think you would do well with the duetto-50. The Aquaball is supposed to be really good, I don't know why pet stores don't carry it. And I don't know if it makes much current or not.

For the 5-gallon tank with one newt, I would hesitate to add any kind of filter. Even a duetto might produce too much current and heat. If you have an air pump, I'd suggest just an airstone. One firebelly hardly produces enough waste to worry about.

 

[ali]

Thanks guys. I ended up getting the aquaball for the tanks, but it was too much current for the five gallon and I feared too much heat, so I got a small air pump powered sponge filter. That should do the trick.

 

[gord]

Re: Current from fluvals.They do produce a lot. Especially the larger 2 and 3..but I find adding a hose and creating a little water fall...or having it shoot into a pot full of gravel...diffuses the current.

The diffused water seems very attractive to many newts.My current hating P.hongkongesnsis sit right on the pot that has the diffused current oozing out of it.

GE

 

[john]

For such a small tank I would likely make a filter. A 4" piece of PVC with a bottom end cap and many small holed drilled circumfrentially around the bottom inch. Glue a fastener to the side and secure to the side of the tank with a wire tie and a self adhesive tie pad (I do not know the real name) Use a small fountain pump and a section of hose to direct the output up and into the PVC. Fill it 2/3 with carbon and pack with floss. It will work on a 5G for a month. Replace the carbon and floss monthly and you should have no issues. The distributed holes eliminate any significant current and if by chance too much water is pumped in it just runs over the top and again creates little current unless of course you use too large of a pump.

I've done two this way and they work well. You can schmear the PVC with silicone and roll in gravel to make it less industrial.

 

[john]

Oops. I forgot to say 2" PVC x 4" long(or as long as your tank is high minus one inch).

I'll try to find a pic of one I did in an older viv. I used 2.5" diameter pvc behind the foam and slipped a slightly smaller PVC inside it like a cartridge. I just pulled it and replaced the carbon/floss monthly (oh alright maybe six or so weeks) and it was great. I used this one in a viv with a fairly large water capacity. This was back when I thought it was OK to mix species. The tank has since been torn apart and is currently an unused 75 sitting in my basement.